Daytona Speedway's $400M Makeover Gears Up

International Speedway Corp., owner of the Daytona International Speedway, kicked off construction in early July of its $400-million renovation of the NASCAR racetrack in Daytona Beach, Fla. The project—dubbed "Daytona Rising: Reimagining an American Icon"—is the single largest investment in the company's history.

Image courtesy Rossetti

The $400-million makeover of Daytona International Speedway will transform the nearly 1-mile-long grandstands section of the famous NASCAR track.

Image courtesy Rossetti

Design of the design-build project was nearly 100 percent complete at the start of construction in July.

The project will redo the current grandstands with a 120-ft-high structure that will extend for nearly a mile along the track’s front straightaway while also replacing the facility’s tower and adding amenities. Construction manager Barton Malow Co. and architectural firm Rossetti, both of Southfield, Mich., expect to complete the design-build project by January 2016.

According to both firms, despite the design-build delivery, the project's design was nearly 100 percent complete at the time of groundbreaking. Rossetti began working on the project in 2010, and Barton Malow came on board in April of 2012.

Rossetti principal Jim Renne, in an email response to ENR Southeast, says, "Though it might have been easier to build an entirely new structure, the decision was made to build on existing. It’s a much more sustainable approach. And in the new stadium, the ground floor is reserved for service, so it will not impact on the fan experience to leave the existing nest of steel in place."

Renne adds, “However, we are changing the rake of the stadia on top of the existing grandstand to improve sightlines.” In all, the project will encompass nearly 2.5 million sq ft.

In an email response, Barton Malow officials stated the construction manager will use "a combination of fabrication-level building information models, enhanced supply chain management processes and implement field solutions to ensure all project data is accessible at all times."

Scott Judy is Deputy Editor for Regions, and editor of ENR Southeast, one of Engineering News-Record's 10 Regional publications. His roughly 27 years as a construction journalist began with an 11-year stint covering Midwest construction projects. In 2000, Judy helped launch the publication now known as ENR Southeast. He often delves into controversial aspects of the construction industry such as bankruptcies and fatal accidents, and wishes he would never have to cover another accident but suspects that he might.